The Great Cape Caper
by Qille
Summary: 1 was being more of a jerk than usual, so 5 and 6 pull a prank on him. What do they do? Why, steal his beloved cape of course! Pre-movie. NOT A SLASH! Enjoy...


_A/N: WOOT! First 9 fic! Okay, I feel really compelled to say that THIS IS **NOT A SLASH!** For some reason, a lot of people put slashy 9 fics up here. I do not. Never will I ever write a slash! Now that that's out of the way, this takes place before the movie, so 9 isn't there yet. Hope you enjoy! This just came into my head as I was falling asleep last night. Oh, and this also takes place before 7 and the twins leave._

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><p><strong>The Great Cape Caper<strong>

It was late in the afternoon. The sun was starting to set. There had been a strong wind storm that morning, and it had damaged the telescope in the watch tower. 5 and 2 were in 2's workshop, repairing it. They had been working in silence for the past hour.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the piece of wood that was used in place of a door.

"Come in," called 2, not even looking up as he screwed another bolt back into place. The door opened and 7 entered. Behind her, the twins poked their heads into the doorway, cataloging what was going on.

"7?" said 5, looking up to see the female Stitchpunk. "What's wrong?"

"6 is freaking out about something," said 7.

"What's he going on about this time?" asked 2, looking up from the telescope.

"I don't know," said 7, shrugging. "He wouldn't tell anyone. He just kept running around his room muttering under his breath."

As if to prove the point, 4 dashed into the room and projected the image of 6 frantically sprinting around his room, tossing things around and looking under his bed as if he had lost something.

2 looked over to 5. "You better go calm him down. I'll finish up here."

5 nodded and went out the door and started to head downstairs; 7 and the twins headed back upstairs.

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><p>When 5 stepped into the little hole in the wall that 6 called his room, he was almost barreled over by the younger Stitchpunk.<p>

"Need more... can't draw... need more..." gasped 6, frantically looking all over the place.

"6, calm down!" exclaimed 5, grabbing 6 by his shoulders to hold him still. "What are you looking for?"

6's uneven optics widened as if he only just noticed 5's presence. "What?"

"Why are you freaking out?"

"Need paper..."

"That's it?" asked 5 incredulously. Looking around, he saw that the corner where 6 kept his paper was now empty. It looked like 6 had started to draw on his blanket. 5 moved over to try and see what that particular drawing was, but it was smeared. He could, however, make out four figures, one of them larger than the others, and one of them smaller than the others.

"Need paper..." stammered 6, nervously wringing his hands together. "Need to show what will happen..."

This caught 5's attention. "What's going to happen?"

6 looked up at him for a moment before returning his gaze to the ground. "Need to show."

5 smiled a bit and put his arm around 6's shoulders. "C'mon, let's go find you some paper." 6's eyes widened and he smiled.

They left 6's room and started to head for the bucket elevator, but a loud voice stopped them. "Just _where_ do you think you're going?" demanded 1.

With a sigh, 5 turned to face 1. "We're going to go look for more paper."

"And _why_ do you need paper?" asked 1, leaning back in his throne. 8 was nowhere to be seen, which meant he must have been lurking somewhere in the shadows.

"So 6 can draw," said 5, gesturing to 6, who had been hiding behind 5's back.

6 slowly nodded. "Need to show you."

"Well, can't you just tell us what you're so eager to draw?" asked 1, becoming more annoyed by the minute.

6 shook his head, no. "Show. Not tell. Important..." he whispered.

1 turned to 5 again. "And just where were you thinking about going to look for paper?"

"The old library," said 5.

"That's much too far away!" exclaimed 1, standing up. "And besides, it's almost dark, and you have no weapons! And 5 is the only one who knows how to fight!"

"Then we'll bring 7," said 5, crossing his arms over his chest, not willing to go down without a fight. "She can kill anything!"

"That doesn't matter!" exclaimed 1. "There's another storm on the horizon, and I don't think 7 could kill wind."

5 looked down at 6, who looked ready to start hyperventilating. He was shaking to the point of convulsions, and his fingers were twitching with the urge to draw. 5 feared he would pass out if he held still for too long.

"I think we'll take our chances," 5 said to 1. "C'mon 6, let's go."

5 and 6 turned around... only to run right into 8, who had been standing behind them the whole time. For such a big guy, he could really be quiet when he wanted to. 8 grabbed 5 by his arm and 6 by his key, lifting them up and carrying them over to 1's throne. He roughly dropped them right in front of 1.

5 sat up and rubbed his shoulder, sore from being manhandled. 6 was coughing from being choked by his key ring.

"You boys aren't going _anywhere_ tonight," said 1. Next to him, 8 started sharpening his knife threateningly.

"Fine," said 5, helping 6 stand up. He put his hand on 6's shoulder and quickly led him towards the stairs that led to the tower. "Just hold on, 6. I've got an idea."

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><p>5 and 6 entered 2's workshop, where the inventor was just finishing the telescope.<p>

"What happened?" asked 2, seeing how twitchy 6 was and how ticked 5 looked.

"D-do you have any paper?" 6 stammered, his eyes wide.

"Well, I have this," said 2, walking over to his desk and holding up a small scrap of paper, too small to do a real drawing on. "Will that hold you for a bit?" 6 nodded vigorously and took the paper, sitting down on the floor and carefully drawing, his hands immediately becoming steady.

2 looked at 5. "Care to tell me what was going on?"

"6 ran out of paper and 1 won't let us go look for more," explained 5.

2 looked out the window. "Well, it is getting dark out..."

"Yeah, but we could have been back by now," said 5, frustration starting to creep into his voice. "And there was a storm this morning. None of the Beasts even _think_ about going outside on stormy days. We wouldn't have been attacked."

"Well, you can never be sure..."

5 didn't seem to hear him. "And now 6 is gonna have to go all night without any paper! I guarantee you he'll be in a coma by morning..."

"Well then what do you plan to do?" asked 2, not exactly knowing what to expect.

5 smiled. "I'm gonna try and keep 6 distracted so he won't think about drawing."

"And just how are you going to do that?"

"We're gonna pull a prank on 1."

2's jaw dropped. This was so unlike him! Normally, 5 was the peacemaker. He wondered what 1 could have possibly said to aggravate 5 into taking this course of action. "What!"

"Don't worry, it'll be harmless," said 5.

"What will?" asked 6, looking up from his completed drawing. He had been so into his drawing that he hadn't heard any of the conversation.

"You and I are gonna pull a prank on 1," said 5.

6's eyes widened. "A prank?"

"Nothing really bad, just something to annoy him," said 5, a mischievous glint in his only eye.

"So what, exactly, are you going to do?" asked 2.

5's smile dropped. "Um..."

"His cape," said 6.

"What?" asked 2 and 5 at the same time.

"Take his cape," said 6, smiling and standing up. "He loves his cape. We can hide it."

5 just stared at him. "That... is a... _great_ idea! But... how are we gonna get his cape when he never takes it off?"

"Sleeping," suggested 6.

"Good point," said 5, "but it won't be easy. 1 isn't a very deep sleeper."

"I have steady hands," said 6.

5 nodded. "True... But what are we going to do about 8?"

"I can help you there," said 2. "I'll get him to help me bring the telescope back up to the watch tower. That should give you guys about 20 minutes."

"You would be willing to help pull a prank on 1?" asked 5, his eye wide with shock.

2 shrugged. "Why not? He's tried my patience more than once in the past."

5 smiled. "Then it's settled. Tonight, we pull off the Great Cape Caper!"

A few minutes later, 5 and 6 went back downstairs to prepare for the scheme. 2 walked around the telescope again, inspecting it, when he noticed that 6 had left his drawing on the floor. Picking it up, 2 smiled. He then quickly left the room with the drawing in hand, heading upstairs. He reached the room that 3, 4, and 7 spent most of their time in and knocked on the door. 3 and 4 opened it with 7 standing right behind them.

2 handed the drawing to 3, who, along with 4, cataloged it.

"What's this?" asked 7, looking over the twin's shoulder.

"There's going to be a show tonight," said 2, smiling.

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><p>The sun had set hours ago. 5 and 6 were in 6's room. They both had soft pieces of fabric tied to their feet to silence their footsteps. 6's room offered them a hiding spot from which they could see 1's throne. The Stitchpunk in question was currently nodding off, his head resting on his fist. 8, however, was still wide away.<p>

"C'mon, 2, where are you...?" whispered 5. He looked back at 6, who was starting to get twitchy again.

Suddenly, he heard 2's uneven footsteps. The inventor came down the stairs and slowly made his way over to 8.

"What do you want?" 8 growled, causing 1 to wake up a bit.

"I was wondering if you would help me move the telescope back up to the watch tower," said 2. "It's too heavy for me and 5."

"How'd you get it in your workshop in the first place?" asked 8, crossing his muscular arms.

"It was in pieces!" exclaimed 2. "We brought it down piece by piece!"

8 sighed and looked at 1. "Go ahead," muttered 1, falling back asleep.

2 smiled and started walking back towards the stairs, 8 following close behind him. 5 could just hear 2 start to explain why they couldn't take the bucket elevator before they were out of earshot.

1 yawned and curled up in a ball on his throne, using his arm as a pillow and his cape as a blanket. A minute later, they could hear him snoring.

5 quietly tapped on 6's shoulder to get his attention. He signaled for 6 to follow him, and they both crept out, heading silently towards 1's throne.

When they reached it, 6 took a deep breath, steadying his hands. He reached forward and smoothly undid the latch holding 1's cape on. Smiling, he quietly slipped the cape off of 1's shoulders and backed off with it in his hands.

5 was staring at 1's hat. His hands weren't as steady as 6's but he figured it would be enough. He carefully lifted the hat off of 1's head and put it on his own. While he was at it, he picked up 1's staff, careful not to let the bell ring.

Trying not to laugh, 5 turned around... to see 6 drawing all over the cape. 5 clamped his hand over his mouth. _Now_ they were gonna be in trouble.

"6!" he whispered. "What are you doing!"

"Showing," 6 whispered back. He held up the inked up cape for 5 to see.

5 stared at the drawing, ready to freak out about ruining 1's cape, but he stopped. This drawing was the same that he had seen before, only it wasn't smudged or smeared. It was a picture of him and 6. He was wearing 1's hat in the picture, running with the staff. Behind him, 6 wore 1's cape. They were both smiling and running, with 1 and 8 in hot pursuit.

"This is what you've been trying to draw all day?" asked 5, holding the cape.

6 smiled and nodded, gripping his key. "Will happen."

5 smiled and, without another thought, he placed the cape on 6's shoulders, clamping it together in the front. "It looks good on you."

6 stood up, still smiling. The cape went all the way down to his ankles.

"Here," said 5, taking the hat off and placing it on 6's head. He then handed 6 the staff. "Try and look mean!"

In an attempt to look more like 1, 6 slouched over and gripped the staff with both hands, putting on his best "angry face." 5 couldn't help it. For the first time in a long time, he laughed. This made 6 start to laugh too. It was also the first time he had laughed. It made him feel good.

The two Stitchpunks were having so much fun laughing that they failed to notice 1's eyes flutter open for a moment as he started to wake up.

6 handed 5 the staff and the hat, which he gladly put on. When 6 started to take the cape off, 5 said, "No, you hold on to that. Like I said, it looks good on you."

6 looked at the fabric of the cape. "Not as good as paper." Then they both started laughing again, even louder. Their laughter carried on for a solid 3 minutes until...

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY CAPE!"

5 and 6 whipped around to see 1 on his feet, one eye twitching.

"Showing," said 6 innocently.

"Oh I'll show you something! A good beating!" exclaimed 1.

"RUN!" exclaimed 5. He and 6 took off, 1 following them.

As 1 chased them around, 2 and 8 came back down the stairs. The second he laid eyes on the sight in front of him, 2 burst into laughter. He started laughing so hard that he had to sit down. 8, however, joined the chase.

"Looks like 6's vision came true..." muttered 2, looking at the scrap of paper that 6 had forgotten earlier. The scene in front of him was the very scene 6 had drawn. 2 looked over towards the bucket elevator and saw three dark figures hiding in it. Two of the figures were cataloging the entire thing, and the third figure was laughing.

Meanwhile, the chase continued. 5 and 6 were younger and faster, but they still had the fabric tied to their feet, slowing them down. Finally, 1 managed to grab the cape around 6's neck, and he yanked it back, sending 6 sprawling. 6's foot tripped 5, and he too fell. 8 was running too close behind1, so he couldn't stop in time. He barreled over 1 and they finished the pile; 6 on the bottom and 8 on the top, with 5 and 1 trapped between.

6 looked up at 1. "You can have your cape back," he gasped.

8 rolled off the pile and 1 stood up. The second they were free, 5 dropped the staff and hat as 6 unlatched the cape. They both stood up and made a beeline for the stairs, disappearing.

1 huffed as he picked up his hat, putting it back on. When he picked up his cape, however, he let out a high-pitch scream similar to that of a small child. "I'm going to drown 6 in his own ink!"

"I can fix that," said 2, walking over to 1 and taking the cape. "No need to drown the boy. If you had let them go get paper, then this wouldn't have happened..." 2 took the latch off of the cape and flipped it over before putting it back on. Then he flipped the cape over so that the ink was on the underside of the cape. "Problem solved."

1 took his cape and put it back around his neck. Suddenly, from behind him, he heard 5 and 6 laughing. Whipping around, he saw 7 and the twins. 4 was projecting the video of 6 imitating 1.

1's eye twitched again as he watched. It didn't help that everyone else had started laughing again. Even 8 started to chuckle until 1 sent him a glare that would have made milk curdle. 8 gulped and swallowed his laughter.

Slowly, 1 lifted his staff and held it like a ninja sword. "I will give you all to the count of three..."

Everyone stopped their laughter and stared at him. 2's eyes widened. He had heard the "counting game" before. Without hesitation, he took off up the stairs as fast as his limp would allow.

"One..."

Nobody else moved.

"Two..."

Everyone took a small step back.

"THREE!" 1 lifted his staff high above his head and started to chase anyone in his path. The remaining Stitchpunks scattered. 7 and the twins flew up the stairs and made it to their room, barricading the door. 8 dove into the bucket elevator with 1 swinging at him wildly. He just barely made it out of range.

Breathing hard, 1 looked around. The room was now empty. Slowly, he stomped back over to his throne and sat down. He pulled his cape tighter around his shoulders.

"My cape..."

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><p><em>AN: Hahaha, I couldn't resist... So, let me know what you think please. Did I keep all the characters in character? Remember, this is my first 9 fic... Please let me know how I did!_


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